Raw Milk FAQ's

Good morning! 

Raw milk is one of the most popular products that we sell! We're currently at around 265 families that are subscribers and there are new people showing up to buy our milk every week!🥛🙋‍♀️

With all this excitement around our milk, I thought it would be nice to share some info on what makes raw milk so healthy, the safety of raw milk (including recent bird flu misinformation), and also answer some common questions! 

What Makes Raw Milk So Healthy?

Pasteurized milk is heated to high temperatures to kill any bacteria or pathogens and most is also homogenized by forcing it through tiny holes at high pressure to break apart the cream molecules so the cream doesn't rise to the top.

The problem is that these processes alter the milk proteins and make it hard for our bodies to recognize! I believe this is a major contributor to why so many people have lactose intolerance! Interestingly, surveys have shown that around 80% of people that are lactose intolerant can handle raw milk just fine and many of our customers have found this to be true!!!

This chart says a lot!

(used by permission from RAWMI)

Raw milk has a wide array of essential nutrients, fats, proteins, anti-inflammatory and digestive enzymes, bioavailable vitamins, and minerals that are easily utilized by the body because they are in their natural form!

Drinking raw milk has been shown to lower rates of ear infections, runny noses, fevers, and respiratory infections and it even reduces allergies like asthma, allergies, eczema!

I love hearing our customers share how this super food has helped them in their health journey in ways similar to these testimonials!

Is Raw Milk Safe?

It depends on who you ask! According to some institutions, raw milk is dangerous and should be banned from being sold! But there may be more to the story...

According to the article "Two Types of Raw Milk" from the Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI):
 
"It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfectly safe food. An analysis of foodborne illnesses from 2009-2015 showed that the top food categories commonly linked to illnesses were chicken, pork, and seeded vegetables. Pasteurized milk is not perfectly safe, either, and is implicated in foodborne illnesses and outbreaks every year.  The CDC outbreak and illness data which is used to assert that raw milk is unsafe does not distinguish raw milk intended for pasteurization from raw milk that is carefully produced and intended for direct human consumption."

Quoting from RAWMI again:
"Recently, researchers from Canada and Europe have studied the safety of raw milk intended for direct human consumption. They have found that carefully produced raw milk is a low-risk food which is fundamentally different from pre-pasteurized milk."

What About Bird Flu in Dairy Cattle?

(used by permission from RAWMI)

Concerns over the avian influenza being found in dairy cattle have been in the news the past several months, with several health agencies recommending that people don't drink raw milk because of the possibility of the virus transmitting to humans through raw milk.

When a customer asked me early on what I thought, my response was that "My general feeling is that healthy animals being raised in their natural environment on pasture with fresh air and sunshine rather than in confinement are going to be a lot less susceptible to disease! But, that's not to say that we couldn't ever have an issue."

As more info has come in I've become even less concerned about the bird flu in dairy cattle and view it more as a scare tactic.

According to RAWMI, "Recent risk communications from CDC , FDA, and USDA regarding transmission of influenza A sub-type H5N1 (highly pathogenic avian influenza virus or HPAI) to humans via raw milk include no supporting evidence of viral transmission from raw milk to humans in the peer-reviewed literature.
 
 CDC and USDA reported that the HPAI strains recently isolated in the US lack the genetic markers for viruses adapted to infect humans. An extensive body of scientific evidence from the peer-reviewed literature introduced herein does not support the assumption by these US government agencies that HPAI transmits to humans via milkborne or foodborne routes and causes disease. Nor does the scientific evidence support the recommendation that consumers should avoid raw milk and raw milk products."

You can read the full article from RAWMI and also another article from realmilk. com that gives more information on this topic including talking about the antiviral properties of raw milk.

Should I drink raw milk when I'm pregnant?

Once again, you'll have to decide who to believe! Personally,I choose to stick with what humans have done for thousands of years vs. the health ideas of the last century and the declining health that has resulted!

The Weston A. Price Foundation studies traditional cultures around the world to see what makes them so much healthier than western civilization. Their recommendation for pregnant and nursing mothers is to drink 1 quart of whole raw pasture-fed milk per day! They mention that "Folate from raw milk is accompanied by a protein that doubles its absorption." Their recommendations for mothers also include other nutrient dense foods like liver, egg yolks, and cod liver oil.

Another thing to note is that if you are unable to breastfeed your baby, Weston A. Price has a raw milk baby formula recipe that is much healthier than boughten formula!

Should I give my toddler raw milk?

ABSOLUTELY! My two daughters LOVE our raw milk! Like was mentioned at the top, including raw milk in your child's diet is shown to lower rates of ear infections, runny noses, fevers, and respiratory infections and it even reduces allergies like asthma, allergies, and eczema!

Growing children need lots of high quality nutrients, and that is just what raw milk has to offer!

So, how about you? Are you excited because you've experienced improved health from drinking raw milk? If you have I'd love to hear about it!

I welcome any feedback and also feel free to send questions my way as well!

Have a blessed weekend!

~ Corbin
 
 Prairie Creek Pastures